1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf equipment and, more particularly, to a golf putter specially designed to assist and train a golfer to have more success with putts.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, a number of different kinds of golf clubs, and especially putters are known. Relevant of these golf putters, the prior art can generally be grouped into two categories: putter use aiding devices, and putt-training devices.
Putter use aiding devices are disclosed in the art as a means to assist the golfer in using a typical putter, or as an improved putter for use during a game of golf. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,045 issued in the name of Bilyeau, a putter guide is disclosed. The putter guide disclosed in the Bilyeau invention is an attachment to the shaft of a putter that aids in aligning the golf club at a right angle to a line between the ball and the hole. Designed as a foldable pointing device, the Bilyeau invention attaches to the shaft of a putter and deploys to provide a guide for the putter user. With the addition of a painted surface to allow for contrast with the putting surface, the Bilyeau invention also addresses the problem not addressed in previous art of the golfer's eyes having difficulty in simultaneously focussing on the ball, the club face, and the pointer of the putter guide concurrently and thereby losing sight of the pointer device.
Another problem that occurs from the use of a typical putter is the turning of the putter head while in use by the golfer. This putting error is caused by the imperceptible turning of the shaft of the putter as the head of the putter approaches or comes into contact with the ball. Numerous attempts have been made to correct for this problem. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,758 issued in the name of Guendling, Jr., a golf club putter is disclosed. In its preferred embodiment, the Guendling, Jr. invention envisions a one-handed putting method, thereby eliminating any turning of the shaft caused by using a two-handed grip.
Other methods for eliminating the putting error caused by the turning of the putter shaft during use are known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,083, issued in the name of Johnson, discloses a putter device that includes an internal spinning gyroscope device inside the putter head to provide sufficient momentum necessary to prevent any "turning" of the shaft when the putter head approaches or comes in contact with the ball. However, a putter made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks, the most significant of which is that a putter made in accordance with the Johnson invention would not appear to meet all of the requirements and rules of the U.S. Golf Association.
Additionally, many putt-training devices are disclosed in the prior art that attempt to assist a golfer in developing proper, consistent habits that generally result from practice conducted with the proper information feedback. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,046 issued in the name of McTeigue, a mechanical putter is disclosed. In McTeigue, a regulation putter is removably mounted on a bracket that is connected to a ratchet and pawl arrangement designed to provide a forward force and motion that is determined directly by the amount of backswing imparted on the device. As disclosed in the McTeigue invention, the device assists the user in learning to swing a putter in a proper arc, and thereby teach the user to provide the proper amount of force necessary to impart to the putter.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,673 issued in the name of Welch, a golf club is disclosed that comprises a head, a handle, and a spring loaded impact surface that can be loaded and then discharged against a golf ball, thereby imparting a set, known force thereto. In the Welch invention, the preferred embodiment is used in the instruction of putting a golf ball by propelling a practice ball toward a cup with a standard force dependent solely on the distance between the ball and the cup. Using the Welch invention, a golfer can then judge from the path followed by the practice shot what corrections in force and direction are necessary to make an accurate putt.
And finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,721 issued in the name of Lobdell, a putter is disclosed that comprises a putter head having an axle and a pair of coaxial rotatable wheels. In the Lobdell invention the putter can be rolled on the wheels as the putter is advanced. As disclosed by the Lobdell preferred embodiment, a striking surface on the putting head that is convex insures that as the putter is rolled, proper contact will be made between the head and the ball. However, even though this convex striking surface provides for proper ball-head orientation during use, such a custom surface design actually decreases the training effectiveness of such a device by unnecessarily eliminating a number of actual use variables from the training regime.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method of improving putting skills and assisting a golfer in practicing a number of aspects of putting, such as: keeping the putter off the ground during the swing before contact is make with the ball; preventing turning of the wrists during backswing, stroke, and followthrough; and, providing energy transfer from club head to ball in a manner similar to that which occurs with regulation type putters.